Washington, Sept 28: US National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice said today that the leaders of Russia, Germany and all others whom President George W. Bush met in New York agree that the world is much better off without Saddam Hussein ruling Iraq and "we must now move on" to help the Iraqi people. Whatever one may think about the US decision to go to war against Iraq, "It is a good thing Saddam Hussein was removed, and let's move on to make it work," said Rice, summing up what she thought was the mood of the world leaders now. The meetings President Bush had with his counterparts, she said, could not have been more constructive and warm.
They agreed that reconstruction of Afghanistan and Iraq is now a joint project of the international community. Bush, she pointed out, has said that if you have a stable Iraq, you have a linchpin for a changed Middle East, and "it is well understood we cannot continue to have the status quo in the Middle East if we are going to be secure, if Europe is going to be secure. Many people are coming around to that point of view”.
She commented that there is a "great divide" between the media, which sees only the problems and the constructive things, which are going on in Iraq. Bureau Report